PETER BATTY FROM WIDNES SENTENCED AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT IN ST HELENS

In August 1998, a disturbing incident unfolded in the town of St Helens involving a middle-aged man from Widnes, Peter Batty, who was convicted of indecent assault on a young girl. The court heard that the assault occurred as the nine-year-old girl was on her way to a local shop, riding her bicycle through the area.

According to testimony presented by Mr. Brendan Carville, the incident took place when Batty, aged 44 and residing on Kingsway in Widnes, stopped his vehicle alongside the young girl. He then claimed that there was a £1 coin lying on the ground near her bicycle, attempting to distract her. As the girl dismounted her bike in response to this ruse, Batty took the opportunity to indecently assault her by putting his hand up her skirt. The court was told that the girl responded by screaming, abandoning her bicycle in a state of distress, and running home in hysterics.

Following the incident, Batty was quickly identified and subsequently arrested by the police. During police interviews, he was questioned about this assault as well as four other incidents that took place over the same weekend, where he approached girls around the age of 15 and asked if they were prostitutes interested in doing business. Batty denied any involvement in the indecent assault but admitted to the other offences involving approaching young girls.

Mr. Carville further explained that Batty had been fined £200 previously for the offences related to indecent behaviour. The court noted that Batty pleaded guilty last month to the indecent assault that occurred in January. Judge Ian Crompton sentenced Batty to 15 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offenders Act for a period of 10 years.

During the proceedings, Batty’s defence counsel, Mr. Gerald Jones, highlighted that his client, who has no prior convictions of a similar nature, had been under significant stress at the time due to his wife’s illness. Despite this, the court emphasized the seriousness of the offence and the need for public protection, leading to the substantial sentence and registration requirement.